What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

IMO Energy Suspension. Cheap & easy to install once you cut out or press out the stock ones. Made a big difference over my stock bushings that were only 40K mi old.

But I've had variances with mine. The first set I got one of the included bushing sleeves I had to drill out for the stock mounting bolt to fit. The set I just put on a month ago, the same bushing sleeve that was included, the hole was way oversized so I used the sleeve that I drilled out from the prev set.

 

Curious if it's even needed since it'll be a brand new rack? I suppose it wouldn't hurt to just get the better bushings in prior

 

I removed the rusty looking clamp on the left of the AC line in the picture and flipped it to push it further out. I still had to wedge the cooler between the bumper and AC condenser. If you had the bumper off it would be much easier. I think I mounted the bottom to the center core support, but I can't remember.

 

If the new rack comes with new bushings might as well just run em till they wear out. The ES ones only cost $25 but there's that sleeve issue. Wonder if it was just me, haven't heard anyone else mention that issue. I was just going to machine an insert for that oversized sleeve on my last set but decided to just use my old sleeve & be done with it.

 

I removed the hood latch bracket and moved the hose in front of it. Also unclamped it while mounting cooler. Then re-clamped it. All the bolts to mount it go into nutserts.

 

Local fab shop cut them out for $20.

 

Made some progress on my manual 4x4 swap. Pulled all auto related items out, trans, flexplate, driveshaft, shifter, cooler lines broken cable. Going to replace the rear main seal while it's apart

 

my rack was rebuilt in 2016 and they included new bushings. im sure a new rack will come with bushings installed. upon inspection the other bushings were in great shape.
i bought the ES kit for the rack and i only changed the bigger bushing because it was the easiest. (and i like the red look) the black one i took off was in great shape. long story short i have the set if you need it. just PM me.

 

Best time to do it.

Stock ones suck.

 

Kinda what I was figuring as I won't have to mess with them. Especially for $30 shipped or so

 

When ES first released the bushing set they did not realize that Toyota used 2 different diameter bolts. The exact point when they changed has never been set in stone. I bought one of the first sets and along with many others had to drill out the sleeve. If one goes with the set that comes with the extra sleeve, the bases will be covered. However the larger sleeve will work fine with both bolts.
The bushings in OE racks work for both size bolts.

 

Ah, didn't know that, thanks for that info. Yeah my first set that I had to drill out was in 2005. The set I got last month had the larger ID bushing but the hole was much larger than the bolt so I didn't want to use it.

 

If you're an Amazon shopper, $23-$25 shipped. That's where I got my last set.

$32 Energy Suspension - 8.10103R 4WD RACK & PINION BUSHING SET

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B001EEWEF0/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new

 

Yes your new rack will come with brand new ones, but mine had play in only 5k miles. Of course that included my cross country trip and Moab, but still. I was so mad I didn't do it when I put the new rack in.

 

Ordered!

Glad I asked because I wasn't going to get new bushings, but did now

 

Went on an adventure yesterday which ended up having a little "wheeling" involved. Headed out from Waldo Lake into and through the desolation that is the remains of the Taylor fire of 1996.



Decided, what the heck, lets see if we can get to the top of Cultus Mountain. One hour of narrow, rocky trail we made it to the top with just a bit of “Forest Pinstriping” which can best be seen on our snorkel.



Took a few pics of the girl, did a drone lookabout and headed back down the mountain. One hour later we arrived in Bend and stopped to get gas. That’s when I noticed more than a few tree parts that we had ripped off and were stuck in parts of our roof rack. Upon closer inspection we found that the forest had retaliated for our amateur pruning by ripping off our Krazy Beaver Super Shovel a.k.a. Murder Spork and one of the Quick Fists that held it to the roof rack.



I am sure it happened on the way down from the summit of Cultus Mountain. Too far to go back and get it so someone is going to find it and be stoked at their new, awesome shovel and single quick fist. Any Oregon folks out in that area and need a lightly used Murder Spork? So...I guess what I did to my Tacoma today was add a bit of Forest pinstriping and traded in my "old" shovel for a (yet to be purchased) new shovel. Yay.

 

This goddamn gas gauge does not want to cooperate. Initially, I thought the fuel sending unit was dead so I tried replacing it. Before I did do, I tested the resistance of the float and cross checked the FSM. It was fine, no issues.

So then I suspected the gas gauge. Resistances check wrong against the FSM. I thought my solution was new gauge, nope.

I bought a whole new cluster and the gauge is still dead.

This makes me think it’s mot the gauge, it’s a short in the wiring somewhere. I’m clueless. It stays on empty no matter what.

 

Is this plug supposed to be held in place by this bracket? Trailer light plug

 

Yes it is. When I bought the wire kit it came with it

 

Do I push it through the back? Just didn't want to start manhandling it till I was sure